One of the most advanced vessels ever built specifically for the offshore wind market has gone to work at the Gemini offshore wind farm in the North Sea off the coast the Netherlands.
The vessel, named Windea La Cour, was designed by the Norwegian shipbuilding group Ulstein and is the first to featured their patented X-Stern hull, similar to the company’s popular X-Bow, which is also incorporated into the design.
During sea trials the vessel achieved a max speed going astern of 12.1 knots, less than 2 knots less than her max forward speed of 13.95 knots. The vessel is not design for moving backwards, rather the X-Stern actually improves station-keeping particularly during wind farm operations while in dynamic positioning mode, as is the case when transferring technicians to wind turbines.
Windea La Cour was delivered by Ulstein at the Ulsterin Verft shipyard in Norway. The vessel is the first of two Service Operation Vessels ordered by BS Offshore for charter Siemens.
Photos courtesy Ulstein Group
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